Live to See Tomorrow
by TWDGamerKenny'sBro
Summary: A two-part story detailing the highs and lows at the start of Louis and Clementine's relationship. The couple want to fight to stay alive, even if the world is cruel and unforgiving, everything will be worth it, as long as they get to see one more sunrise together. (Artwork by kiwiddie on Tumblr)


**A/N - This first-half is their initial confession scene, reworked from the ground up, with added content, while retaining old dialogue. The second-half will take place in unfamailar territory, in the continuity of what would be episode 3, which deals with the aftermath of the raider attack. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoyed writing it, and thank you for taking the time to read my story. I simply adore this couple and I knew I had to expand on their relationship. Hopefully part 2 will be up in a few weeks.**

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 **Part 1 - The Perfect Moment**

Clementine trudged down the lonely dark corridor, the chill of the cold night air biting at her exposed arms, like pin pricks on her skin, and sending a shiver across her spine. An eerie silence gripped the desolate school, forcing her to find comfort in the minute sounds, such as her boots scuffing the rotten, bug-infested, wooden floorboards, or the soft chirping of crickets outside, hiding in the long blades of grass, or even her own low, shallow breathing. As she covered more ground with every step, the attention of her ears was drawn to a soft, soothing melody, which was being carried on the wind, echoing and bouncing off the walls. A faint smile appeared on the teen's lips, the memory of encountering such music during her first day here flashing through her mind. Clementine curiously followed this wistful tune, her destination practically within reach. She knew the source all too well.

She arrived at the double doors, which were open slightly ajar, that led into what had most likely been the music room, once upon a time. She paused outside, pressing her hand against the door frame as she watched quietly through the small crack. Louis sat on the piano stool that resided below the large mantelpiece. The wine red drapes were tied back using tassels, allowing moonlight to shine in through the windows - which were covered in thick, twisted, overgrown vegetation - casting shadows on the tattered floral rug, as well as bathing Louis and the grand piano in the pale silver glow. His fingers nimbly glided across the keys with precision and grace, his gaze never wavering from that magnificent instrument. He didn't even steal a glance at the aged, yellow tinted sheet music, evidently because the writing had faded over time, plus he was most likely playing from the heart. Just like always. His face was illuminated by the burning candles that were positioned neatly on both ends of the piano, with fresh hot wax dripping off of them. His dark eyes shimmered due to the flickering, bright orange flames. He seemed completely and utterly lost in the moment. She almost didn't want to disturb him.

Clementine's heart raced as she slowly manoeuvred her hand over to the door knob and grasped the cold metal. She let out a deep, cleansing breath, before pulling the door open fully, which caused the worn, tired wood to groan and the hinges to squeak. The teen chewed on the inside of her lip in dismay - feeling guilty for creating such a racket - her cheeks growing warm from embarrassment, whilst Louis' concentration was broken by the noise. His attention immediately snapped away from the piano and his gaze floated across the room, before settling on her.

Louis wore a friendly, welcoming smile on his face, his cheeks wrinkling as he seemingly invited her into what could best be described as his own personal dwelling through mere gesture alone. Feeling more at ease, whilst internally questioning why she had even been nervous in the first place, Clementine entered and was by his side in a matter of seconds.

"Thought I could tickle the ivories one last time before all hell breaks loose." He explained nonchalantly.

"That's a good idea. We could both use some cheering up, and I haven't heard any music since the last time you played for me." She replied.

"Many people here wouldn't even call it music. I've lost count of the amount of times someone has threatened to take an axe to this thing." Louis quipped, despite the fact that there was a hint of sadness in his tone. Was he disappointed that no one recognised his talents? If that was the case, at least he persevered and continued to do what he loved no matter what. "I don't mind taking requests. Do you fancy hearing me belt out 'Oh My Darling, Clementine' again? Because it would be my absolute pleasure." He said, flashing her with a sly grin.

"Maybe another time. We don't want to attract too many walkers. The raiders will be hard to spot if there's a whole herd waiting outside." She responded through a small chuckle.

He shrugged dismissively "Suit yourself. I guess we'll never find out if the dead make for a good audience. Damn, I was really hoping to weaponise my voice and make their heads explode too."

The teenage boy placed his hands back on the keys and played a few short notes, opting for a more upbeat tune. Now that Clementine was in close proximity, she noticed that the piano sounded slightly off, but Louis still somehow managed to make it work. However, he stopped abruptly and clenched his left hand into a tight fist, whilst he let out a small grunt of discomfort and winced in pain. Clementine's brow became knitted with concern as she drew closer and touched his shoulder.

"Louis, is something wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"Oh, it's nothing, my arm is a little sore, that's all. I can still play just as well." He stated with a brave-faced smile.

Clementine changed her current position from his right side to the other, so that she could examine the bullet wound he had sustained from the encounter with Lilly and Abel. His sleeve was still torn - crusty dried blood coating the leather - revealing the chunk of flesh that had been seared by the shotgun round. It closely resembled AJ's injury, which caused a series of unwanted memories to resurface, followed by a grimace at the thought of removing that shrapnel. Thankfully, judging from observation, any residue from the shell had been taken out long ago, and Louis' wound was beginning to heal, he just needed to be patient.

"You haven't patched up your jacket." Clementine commented, shifting the focus onto his beloved coat in the hopes of taking his mind off the pain he was experiencing.

"I've been pretty busy lately. Time is a luxury I don't have, especially with Violet breathing down my neck."

"I could repair it for you." She offered. "I do owe you one, since I'm the reason it got damaged in the first place."

"Well, if you want to take a crack at it, I won't stop you. Less work for me then!" He cried gleefully. "Where's my trusty duct tape? It should be buried somewhere in all this junk. It's never failed me before, as you can see." He said, gesturing at the patches of grey tape wrapped around the cuff of his sleeve and covering his shoulder, almost as if he wanted her to admire his skills. "I just hope you can match my handiwork."

"I'll take a look around, see if I can find it." Clementine declared, venturing over to the far side of the room, which was littered with cobwebs and untouched by natural light.

"Good luck. I'd help but... I need to give your search some musical accompaniment." Louis stated, getting himself poised and ready.

"No, that's okay, I'll manage without." She declined, cautiously scooting around the tall, precariously stacked tower of books, which was one small tap away from toppling over. She heard his long-winded, exaggerated disappointed sigh, and had to stop herself from giggling as she continued to browse. "Do you remember where you put it after the last time you used it?" She quizzed.

"Nope!" He replied without even a second thought.

Clementine rolled her eyes, before doing another quick sweep of the area. She noticed that there was a castle made from nothing but graffitied textbooks on the short, round table positioned in front of her. It had large walls, along with a central keep and four guard towers, and even a drawbridge. Of course, it was all held together using duct tape, rather excessively in fact. "What's this?" She questioned, motioning at the strange construction and glancing over at Louis in search of answers.

"Oh, that old thing? It's my kingdom, obviously!" He told her, grinning as he spoke. "It took blood, sweat and tears to finish such a hard project, but I managed it all in one day! ...I was really, really bored."

After briefly admiring the result of his boredom, Clementine squatted down to check under the piece of furniture. At least she wasn't relying on his guidance, since lowering herself to the floor had allowed her to spot the roll of duct tape lying close to the skirting board. Had Louis recklessly thrown it across the room after using it? She wouldn't put it passed him. Or maybe he had tried balancing it on top of his textbook castle, and then a minor disturbance, like a heavy footstep, or accidental knock of the table had caused it to fall off.

She straightened herself up and circled the table, collecting the duct tape along the way as she headed back over to Louis, who was waiting patiently for her. "Found it." She announced.

"Good job! See, I knew you wouldn't need my help. But I still think some background music would have been nice."

Clementine ignored his remark and addressed the matter at hand. "I'll need you take your arm out of your sleeve, wouldn't want the duct tape getting stuck to your wound, or else that will definitely hurt."

"Yikes. Guess I don't have much choice then." Louis commented wittily, as he carefully slipped his arm out and allowed half of his coat to hang loosely on his shoulder. The thin layered green shirt he was adoring exposed his injury further, with pieces of stained fabric holding on by a thread. Clementine picked up his empty sleeve - kneeling down for a better vantage point - and measured up the hole using the tape itself, before separating one layer from the roll using her teeth.

"Do you ever take this thing off? I've never seen you without it." She asked casually, trying to keep their conversation afloat.

"Not if I can avoid it."

Clementine gave him a sceptical look. "So you even wear it to bed?"

He smirked deviously. "I'm afraid I can't share that information with you, Clem. I have to have some secrets."

"Well then, I guess I'll have to save that question for the next time I win at truth or dare." She teased.

"Only if you get a good card, that is!" The teen said through a chuckle.

A wave of silence followed, with Louis quietly watching Clementine work, as her hands delicately smoothed the leather and grey tape, wrapping it around the clothing. He swiftly averted his eyes when she caught him staring, and absentmindedly glided his fingers over the surface of the piano keys, but without enough pressure to play a single note.

The final step now was to assure that the end of the tape wasn't loose and couldn't peel off, by simply looping it back to the beginning. Once that task was completed, she slowly trailed her hand down his sleeve and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry you ended up getting hurt because of me. If I hadn't told Violet to take the shot, if we had just avoided that risk and ran away, this never would have happened. If Abel had aimed any higher..." She paused, her gaze fixated on his wound, guilt and sadness swirling like a vortex in the depths of her bright amber eyes. Images flashed through her mind, a smoking shotgun, Louis' head blossoming like a red flower, erupting with a fountain of crimson that sprayed the surrounding trees. "You could have been killed." Clementine whispered, her grip on his sleeve tightening until her knuckles turned white.

Louis gave her a gentle nudge with his elbow, leading Clementine to meet eyes with him. She was greeted by a genuine, comforting smile, which served to make her heart throb. His eyes twinkled with compassion in the dim, flickering candlelight as he spoke soothingly. "Hey, don't worry, it's fine. I'm still here, aren't I? So you shouldn't dwell on it. No one is going to get rid of ol' Louis that easily! You're going to be stuck with me for a looooooong time."

Clementine laughed cheerfully "Being stuck with you doesn't sound so bad." She admitted, shying away from his gaze once again.

"Oh, wow, um... I wasn't expecting you to say that. Anyone else would just brush me off..." Louis muttered, his voice growing quieter.

She traded a short glance with him and smiled gingerly - her cheeks flushed pure red, heart rate quickening - practically speechless. She needed to find a way to switch the topic, or else their discussion would spiral down into a bottomless chasm of awkwardness and regret, where they would be left to fester for all eternity. Thankfully, Clementine saw an opportunity when she realised that she was still clutching to his sleeve like it was her own prized possession. She cleared her throat, in order to relieve tension, and proceeded to let go of his coat while standing up. "At least this is fixed now."

"Not bad." He remarked, giving her work a small check before slipping his arm back into his sleeve. "If it ever gets damaged again and I'm too lazy to repair it, you'll be the first person I ask for help."

"I'll only be accepting bribes for my service from now on."

"Hmm, will you take jokes in exchange for favours?" He asked.

"Depends if they're good ones. So far I've gotten a pretty mixed bag from you." Clementine answered, placing the duct tape on the mantelpiece, before leaning against the wall and folding her arms.

Louis was so offended that he audibly gasped and clutched his chest in shock, feigning the onset of a heart attack. "All my jokes are good." He argued, his voice a high shrill.

"Some of them didn't exactly land."

Another dramatic gasp escaped his lips. He looked like he was about to slide off the stool and crumple up on the floor. He was clearly hamming up his performance for laughs, that's what Louis seemed to thrive on. However, instead of dragging on his routine, the teen decided to put an end to the whole debacle - since they had gone on quite a tangent - and returned to playing the piano. At least that's what he seemed to be doing, but stopped before he even began, as his expression hardened and he looked at Clementine once again. "I've been meaning to ask... How do you feel about the inevitable raider attack?" He enquired, adopting a delicate tone for such a troubling subject. "They're bound to show up eventually, right? Maybe they're trying to psych us out, waiting until we drive ourselves crazy with paranoia before they strike. Worst part is knowing that they won't go easy on us, even though the only thing they'll find here is a bunch of scared kids."

Clementine's stoic, hard-boiled demeanour crumbled as she allowed a shaky sigh to emerge - shreds of her composure escaping along with it - before answering truthfully. "Honestly, I'm terrified."

"Damn, you're owning it. I'm impressed. Usually people bury their feelings, but you look them right in the face and say 'Whoa! These suck.'" Louis commented light-heartedly. However, his jovial response and overall mood didn't serve to lift her spirits this time. Her brow furrowed, as a creeping sense of dread clawed its way to the forefront of her mind. The thought of losing AJ all over again meant that any hope for a good night's sleep was fleeting. The thought of the group being captured, or worse, completely wiped out, sent a flurry of ice through her veins. Clementine had become so lost in her own head, the words of comfort Louis had to offer barely registered at first.

"You know I'm here for you." He uttered with warm sincerity, a smile decorating his freckled cheeks. This broke her spell-like trance, the corner of her lips turning up with a smile to rival that of the amateur musician's.

"So, what's this project you mentioned earlier, and what did you need me for?" Clementine quizzed, unfolding her arms in the process.

"Ha, glad you're still paying attention. I was beginning to think you had forgotten."

"That's funny, I was beginning to think the same thing about you."

Louis chuckled. "Well, anyway, allow me to demonstrate my problem," He began, pressing one out of the multitude of keys. The note that followed was fast and stung - just as grating to the ears as nails on a chalkboard, with Clementine flinching involuntarily at the minor annoyance. "Now, I know what you're thinking. 'Louis, that sounds awful!' And yes, it does, but it's an easy fix. All we need to do is tune it. That's why I need you."

He got to his feet and gestured at the piano with a wave of his hand. Reluctant, Clementine pushed herself off the wall and sat down, sliding to the far end of the stool and filling the space Louis had left behind, whilst he walked around to the back of the large instrument. He popped his head under the lid and began to examine the inner workings.

"When I give the signal, play the A key." He instructed.

"Uh, yeah, which one's the A key?" She asked, a wave of embarrassment washing over her. Was this supposed to be common knowledge? Did she already miss something that was incredibly obvious? She didn't exactly have much experience with pianos. Louis had definitely picked the wrong person for this job.

The teen leisurely walked over to her and used the piano as an armrest whilst he spoke. "Y'know, the A key. Next to the B key, after the G key." He casually explained, pointing out each key that he listed individually, before leaving his finger to hover above the one he wanted. Now that she was fairly satisfied, Clementine gave him a grateful nod, and Louis scooted back into position. "Alright, lets hear it."

As requested, she hit the A key with a short and quick tap using her index finger. After the note played, Louis nodded approvingly and then reached into the interior. "Good, that definitely helped. Now press the pedals while I make some more adjustments."

Once again, Clementine followed instructions and eased her foot onto the right pedal, treating it in the same vain as driving a car, since that was the best connection her scattered brain could think of.

"Great, that part's golden." Louis stated, the excitement in his voice ramping up with every new step of progress. "Quick, now blow on the strings." He blurted out in a hurried manner, almost as if their lives depended on it.

"Sorry, what?" She questioned, her face masked with confusion.

"Yeah, it sounds weird, but trust me, just blow on them. Cooling the temperature helps set them in harmony."

Clementine slid her foot off the pedal and stood up, before leaning forwards as far as she could possibly go, without tipping over or collapsing into the large instrument. She felt the blistering heat from the small dancing flame atop the melted candle on her cheek, her face inches away from the burning wick. She inhaled sharply, and then blew hard on the strings with all her might, until her lungs ran out of air. And then... Nothing. The strings were stagnant, and the piano was silent. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but even with her lack of expertise, her added commitment seemed wasted. Meanwhile, Louis was sweating buckets as he desperately tried to stifle his laughter, but in doing this, he looked to be on the verge of tears, he was practically weeping.

Despite the odds, he managed to regain his composure and fiddled with the metal pins to make a few finishing touches. Clementine returned to the stool, her mind racing as she tried to connect the dots - the possibility of being tricked slowly dawning on her - whilst Louis cupped his hand to his ear and plucked the strings, a smile painting his lips when a soothing chime emerged and vibrated through the piano.

"Okay, great. That did nothing. Because that's not at all part of how you tune a piano." He revealed with an added chuckle, confirming Clementine's suspicions as he sidestepped into her full field of view. "But it was funny!" He joyfully proclaimed, his smile morphing into a toothy grin.

She groaned internally, not just at his prank, but more so at her own stupidity. How could she make such a fool of herself? Why was she like this around him? But most of all, why wasn't she angry, or at least annoyed? The only thing that seemed to cross her mind was... How goofy and sweet Louis proved to be, time and time again.

Clementine shuffled over to the left side of the stool in order to make room for Louis, as he sat down in his original spot. Her heart fluttered as his leg brushed up against hers, a wave of bliss and euphoria rushing through her body - from head to toe - all due to such a tiny level of intimacy. She inched closer to him, their shoulders touching, as she yearned to feel that way again for just a brief, fleeting moment. Louis didn't seem to notice the shortening of the gap between them nor Clementine's advancements, since he was still rattling on and checking if the piano was in working condition after their combined efforts. "It could've done something on like, a molecular level. Or maybe it's good luck to blow on strings."

"You are super cute." She uttered, a small giggle mixed in with her comment. She didn't even pause to think, the words just rolled off her tongue so naturally, almost as if they were simply meant to be applied to him.

Louis was awestruck, which was evident by his eyes widening and his flustered response. "Me? Cute? Wow, um, hm, that's uh... Yay! Glad to be of service."

He avoided further eye contact by returning his gaze to the piano, and hiding behind his brown, wavy dreadlocks. He started to play the keys in ascending order, carrying on with his sound test, before piping up with a question. "So, judging by how easy it was to fool you, I take it that you've never played an instrument before, huh?"

"No, not unless you count hitting a triangle a couple of times in first grade." She muttered.

Louis snorted. "I bet you were a master at it!"

"I guess you could say that, I was saddled with it enough times, after all. The other kids would always make a beeline for the more popular instruments, so I didn't have much choice. But we didn't have anything close to this size. Even if we had, I don't think I would be anywhere near as talented as you. You're on a whole other level."

He tilted his head up, using his hands as a pillow, whilst leaning back against an invisible chair rest and occupying a more relaxed position. "You don't need to flatter me so much, Clem. I already know I'm a musical genius."

"But seriously, how did you get so good?"

"Practice, practice, practice. Music was the only thing I really liked. None of my other subjects could hold my attention very long, and... I wasn't the brightest student when it came down to academic stuff. I couldn't stand sitting behind a desk all day, writing down everything my teacher droned on about. I just wanted to play." Louis explained, eyeing the piano with a fond and sentimental look.

Clementine studied his movements, before her eyes cut away, her gaze fixating on the vine covered window and the starry night sky. "Just hearing that makes me wish that the group would indulge you a little more. They could get a bit of joy and happiness back in their lives. But instead... You've become a punching bag."

"I don't mind. If what I do can put a smile on just one person's face, then it's worth it." He expressed, his affection aimed squarely at her. She exchanged a small look with him and smiled half-heartedly, before her face fell. Louis took note of this, and was quick to address her concerns. "If you're that worried about my popularity, you could always help me out. You have a slightly bigger mass appeal than I do. Maybe we could host a concert together, once things have calmed down."

"How would I add to your performance?"

The teen stroked his chin as he pondered over his next words. "Can you sing?"

She hugged her own figure, and traced circles in the fabric of her clothes with the tip of her finger. "I don't know. I haven't exactly had much of a chance to test out my vocal range these passed few years. I probably sound like a dying cat."

"Well, there's only one way to find out. Why don't you sing something for me?" He suggested, fidgeting in his seat with excitement. He wasn't trying to hide the fact that he was itching to see this new, different side to her.

"Like what?"

Louis gave a tiny shrug in response. "The first thing that springs to mind."

Clementine heaved a deep sigh and nestled her hands in her lap. She had a limited amount of songs stored in her memory, and most of the lyrics had been lost to the passage of time. However, she did recall numerous nursery rhymes and lullabies, which she owed to AJ's presence. She had sung them with him on long, tiring car journeys, or late at night, curled up in the back seat, when trying to lull him to sleep. In all those instances, she had never listened to herself properly, her senses had been acutely focused on the world around her, eyes trained for walkers, ears taking in the low hum of the vehicle, or when addressing the latter, the rustle amongst the trees and AJ's soft intakes of breath. However, the young boy had always been fond of her voice, but then again, he was rather biased, so that wasn't enough to boost her confidence, nor calm her nerves. She was certainly feeling the pressure from being put on the spot.

With a familiar song in mind - one that had been unable to escape her forever shifting mindscape since her toddler years, as her mother had sung it countless times before bed - she lowered her head and held her eyes tightly closed as she began. "A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain, softly blows over Lullaby Bay." Clementine's voice was high pitched, yet soft and silky, as mellifluous as a tweet from a nightingale - it was enthralling to listen to and pleasing to the ear. But there was still some nagging doubt in her mind... Something wasn't quite right. Her nose wrinkled as she scrunched up her face. Was she off key? On the wrong tempo? The words just didn't seem to flow correctly, not to mention she was singing scarcely above a whisper. Granted, she didn't know how to project, since she had spent so much time and energy training herself to be as quiet as possible. Suddenly, piano music filled the room, and Clementine opened her eyes to find that Louis was kindly providing her with the instrumental. He nodded encouragingly, tapping his foot against the floorboards along with the beat. She beamed, thankful for his aid, as working without a guideline had been a struggle. "It fills the sails of boats that are waiting - waiting to sail your worries away. It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain, and your boat waits down by the bay-"

The teen stopped abruptly, with the amateur musician following suit, as she grimaced at her mistake. "-Shit, sorry, I messed up." She apologised. And just when she had been getting the hang of it too.

"No, no, it's okay, keep going." Louis urged, his fingers prepped and preemptively aligned with the keys in which they left off at.

The corner of her lip twitched as her smile grew beyond its limits, she was beginning to think her face might crack. Louis seemed to have this incredible affect on her, a warm surgence of relief and ease, making her cares and insecurities melt away. Unfazed and determined, she heeded his advice, and continued, with him following her lead. "It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain, and your boat waits down by the quay. The winds of night so softly are sighing, soon they will fly your troubles to sea. So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain. Wave goodbye to cares of the day. And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain, sail far away from Lullaby Bay."

The room fell quiet once Clementine finished, as Louis lifted his hands off the keys. Her previously frozen, unmoving smile faded, and she stared at him with bated breath, waiting for his verdict. The teen opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't formulate a sentence. He seemed... Blown away, stunned into silence.

Eventually, he found his voice. "I didn't know a dying cat sounded like that." He murmured breathlessly. "Clem... That was fantastic."

"Really?" She asked, unable to fully comprehend what he was saying. That was such a huge compliment, he couldn't possibly mean it. Could he?

"Yes! I wouldn't say you have a trained voice, but then again, neither do. Still, I bet we could wow everyone here if we worked together. I could teach you how to play the piano, and then we could be a singing, pianist duo!"

"You'd be willing to do that?"

"Of course. Every night, before bed, I'll give you piano lessons." Louis stated. "It all depends on if you want to. I understand if you'd rather be up to... Well, pretty much anything else."

"No, I'd definitely be up for it. Sounds like fun." Clementine responded. "Just be prepared for me to suck."

"You should have a little more faith in yourself than that, besides, we haven't even gotten started. As far as I see it, anyone can play an instrument, as long as they're willing to try. And you've already got that step down, so you're well on your way to becoming just as good - if not better - than me."

Her smile returned, coaxed out of hiding by his words of endearment. "Thank you, Louis."

"No problem." He replied. "You were really brave, y'know. I thought you'd be too embarrassed to sing in front of me, but I'm glad you did. And I think such fearlessness deserves a reward."

"What kind of reward?" She questioned, her brow raised with curiosity.

Louis played with his hair, messing and ruffling his brown locks as he shyly avoided her inquisitive gaze. "I wrote a song, and I was hoping that you would maybe, oh, I don't know... If you would like to be the first person to hear it?"

"You wrote your own song?"

The teen nodded, giving her a small, wavering glance, before his eyes deterred and resided on his beloved instrument.

"Whoa, that's super impressive. What's it called?" Clementine asked, intrigued by the finer details, almost compelled to dig deeper.

"I don't know yet." He admitted.

"Well, once you've played it for me, maybe I can help you come up with a name."

The amateur musician was pleased by her offer, and with vigorous eagerness, he keenly edged closer and began to 'tickle the ivories', as he liked to put it. The slow, melancholic melody he created was impossibly soothing, the divine instrument flooded her senses with its almost hypnotic charm. The tuning process had breathed new life into the piano, each sound proving to starkly contrast its previous condition, her expectations were shattered by the notes that were building towards Louis' masterpiece. He had become lost in the music the very moment he had pressed the first key, and now halfway through, his fingers gently stroked the ivories - dancing in the dim, fading candlelight, whilst his dark eyes followed every slight movement of his hands. Clementine silently watched, wonder and admiration bubbling inside her heart, as his song encompassed the empty room, drowning out the calls from the wildlife lost in that creeping veil of darkness outside. Her gaze no longer chased his relentless tapping - instead her amber eyes drifted to focus on his face, absorbing his features and look of pure concentration. With the piano music enveloping her ears and buzzing inside her head, the mere act of staring at him made Clementine feel weak. A single thought wrapped its tendrils around her mind, refusing to be pushed aside.

 _It's getting harder and harder to imagine my life... Without Louis in it._

An eternity passed before he eventually stopped playing, leaving the aftermath of his hopeful ballad to settle. He rested his hands on the final keys and stared blankly at a trail of hot, sticky wax that was spilling over the far corner of the piano.

"That was lovely, Louis." She complimented. She didn't know any of the technical aspects, nor was she an expert, but his song sounded remarkable - he had poured his heart and soul into it - and that's all that mattered from her point of view.

The teen's mind still seemed to be elsewhere, since he missed a couple of beats before he responded. "Thanks. First time I've played it too. It's been stuck in my head for ages."

Louis allowed his arms to fall by his side, and then dug into his coat pocket, retrieving a small, sharp knife from inside. "We should mark the occasion." He suggested, leaning over Clementine, and neatly carving the initial of his first name into the fall board, in close proximity of the word 'Blackraven'.

He brushed away the wood shavings and offered her the knife. "But we need to call your song something, right? Wouldn't you rather spitball some ideas first?" She questioned.

"Nah, we've got time to do that later. The night is still young, after all." He answered, waving the handle around as he waited for her to take the weapon. "Come on, get in on this. You deserve to have a piece of your name on here too. And my arm is getting tired!"

Clementine accepted the knife and copied him by carving a 'C' next to his 'L'. There was some resistance at first, but she managed to work the tip of the blade into the groove once an incision had been dug into the smooth, ancient wood. "You done tattooing that piano?" He enquired.

Her grip on the knife tightened as she agonised over her next decision. She wanted to make a personal addition, she was just fearful of the consequences. There was no way to predict how he'd react. Would he even like it? Or would she end up ruining her chances? Meanwhile, Louis kept himself entertained through the means of verbal barfing. "I think you've got a future in whittlin'. I like saying whittlin'. Whittlin'! Okay, I'll stop... Whittlin'."

 _Fuck it._

She couldn't afford to indulge him in his little witticism, she had already lingered for too long, and he was becoming impatient. Throwing caution to the wind, Clementine leaned forwards and carved a plus sign between their initials. Once completed, she moved on to the main event; putting a love heart around the previous markings. She started with the top, which was shaped like two rolling hills - her pulse rapidly increasing with every stroke of her hand - before curving one continuous line along each side, in order to link the piece together. Pleased with the finished result, she sat back, eager to see Louis' reaction, whilst her heart threatened to burst out of her chest.

He studied her creation for a few seconds, attempting to decipher this almost foreign symbol. "Oh that's, uh, that... That's a potato?" He questioned innocently, a puzzled expression masking his face, and uncertainty plaguing his tone. Louis paused, his eyes tracing the outline as the cogs whirled inside his head. And then it clicked. "It's a heart, yep, I see it's a heart." He concluded. Clementine silently handed the knife back to him, and his fingers lightly touched hers as the handle was passed over, causing that wave of bliss to return, her heart skipping a beat. "That's... super cool. Really cool."

Louis had an ecstatic smile painted on his freckled cheeks, although there was a hint of sheepishness sprinkled into his expression. He tucked the knife back into his coat pocket, before fidgeting with his hands. He looked... Terrified, like a deer caught in headlights. "So, hey, I'm gonna dig myself into a deep hole from which I'll never emerge. Cool? Cool." A shaky sigh escaped his lips. "Time to get serious."

"Serious? Wow. You feeling okay?"

"Not really, nope, mm-mm." He replied, tilting his head upwards, as if to ask the heavens one simple question; What on earth was he doing? Unfortunately, the only thing he discovered was the ceiling, which blocked his view of the night sky. The tension was palpable as the teen forced himself to meet her gaze, but even then, his skittish eyes still continued to dart across the room. "Thanks... for being here. Patching up my jacket. Singing. Listening. Blowing on the strings. Coming here to help me with my project, even after everything I put you through. And everything I had to work through, for myself. Everyone hears the jokes, the piano... and after that, they stop listening. You didn't."

His cheeks were flushed pure red as he bashfully waited for her response. Clementine could feel her palms sweating, her heart felt like it had stopped, and her breath was caught in her throat. Was this her cue to finally speak her mind? She had casually flirted with him on many occasions, dropped so many hints during their time together, but could she find the words to express her true feelings when it mattered most?

Her mind raced, quickly coming to a conclusion before their conversation was given the chance to turn stale. _I_ _have_ _to_ _tell_ _him._ _I_ _**want**_ _to_ _tell_ _him._

"So, um, I like you a lot. Like, like you. As more than a friend." She admitted, curling a lock of black hair around her finger as she spoke. The colour drained from Louis' face and his coy smile dropped instantly, he almost seemed mortified, or maybe even shell shocked. "No jokes? Nothing?"

"When you said you had feelings for someone during the game, I was hoping it was me. And it is. Holy shit, it's me!" He cried, his face brightening up again as the reality of the situation began to sink in. He was ready to rocket off the stool and punch the air with excitement at any given moment. "But a part of me wondered if it would turn out to be that guy, James, since you said you'd marry him."

"That's because you weren't an option. And between Ruby and Aasim? Come on."

"Still weird to say you'd marry a guy you just met." Louis commented. "So would you have married or flipped me?" He then quizzed.

"Oh, I definitely would have killed you." Clementine replied jokingly, which got an immediate snicker out of Louis.

"Figured out what to call the song. 'Clementine', obviously. You know, because I like fruit. And I like you even more, so. There." He declared. She could only assume that was his cute, backwards way of saying 'I really like you too'. "Gotta admit, of all the things I saw coming, you having a crush on me was not it. You stabbing me in my sleep, yes. Declaration of crush, no."

His voice grew distant and wavered off, as Clementine focused less on what he was saying, and more so on the movement of his lips. She watched them part, the corners wrinkling as he smiled, and her heart leapt up into her throat. She thought about how good it would feel to trace the outline of his with her own, to explore every angle and discover the best possible way for them to fit together. Acting on mere rash impulse alone, in one swift motion, she closed the tiny gap between them, and kissed Louis on the lips. His mouth was soft, his cheeks were smooth, his brown dreadlocks draped over and tickled her face, the scent of his musk was overpowering. A warm, fuzzy tingling sensation filled every part of her being as she held her eyes tightly shut, while an unstoppable smile spread across her face. Her doubts and fears fluttered away, like thousands of tiny butterflies, as she pressed her body against his, leaning deeper into their loving embrace, and sighing dreamily.

Their first kiss lasted for what felt like hours, but sadly, it had only been a few seconds at most, before she gently pulled away. Louis was speechless, and also slightly dazed, as the biggest, happiest smile she had ever seen him produce appeared on his lovestruck face, his teeth glistening in the moonlight, and his eyes shining with pure, unfiltered joy. The only sound he could muster was a laugh, one that rocked Clementine to her very core. His sweet nature was nearly impossible to bear.

"Clem! You out here?" The voice belonging to Ruby called, shattering their perfect little world.

She got to her feet and shuffled out from the space between the stool and the piano. "I have to go. I've got look out duty." She explained, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice. She had wanted this moment to last forever.

Louis followed her lead and stood up, adjusting his jacket as he turned to face her. "Well, you wouldn't wanna miss that. Sounds like way too much fun." He said with a wink.

They began to walk out together, but Clementine paused at the threshold of the corridor, and grabbed the cuff of his sleeve, stopping him in his tracks.

"If we make it through this, if we survive to see tomorrow, maybe we could spend some more time together." She whispered, gazing up at the fellow teen with wishful eyes. "If that's okay with you."

"It's more than okay." Louis whispered back, taking her hand, his fingers becoming intertwined with hers. She savoured his touch, whilst he drew circles in her skin using his thumb. "...Can I kiss you again?"

She chuckled at how politely he asked, before reaching up on the tips of her toes and planting a goodnight kiss on his lips. The amateur musician laughed gleefully again as the two walked out, hand in hand. It took less than a minute to arrive at the front door, which led out of the main building.

"See you soon." Clementine said, slipping from his grasp as she headed outside, with Louis waving her off. Once she was gone, and he no longer had to keep his cool, the teen dashed upstairs, his thundering footsteps softened by the carpet as he reached the balcony and dived on to the worn, orange sofa. He used one of the cushions to smother his excited scream.

"Aaaaaah, did I just get myself a girlfriend?" He questioned aloud, rolling onto his back and almost crashing onto the floor. Louis cradled the cushion in his arms and touched his lips, replaying their kiss over and over in his head. "That's insane."

Meanwhile, Clementine stood at the top of the cracked, stone steps above the courtyard, feeling the cold, night breeze blow through her hair. She could still hear Louis' song, the soft chime of the piano floated within the confides of her mind. She clung to that melody, swearing to never let the passage of time erode it from her memory. With her heart full, a sharp giggle erupted from her mouth, starting as a quiet chirp, before rapidly escalating into full blown hysterical laughter.

She clutched her hand close to her chest, and wiped a tear from her eye as she threw her head back, and admired the ebony black sky, that was dotted with bright, twinkling orbs, stretching off into the cosmos, far beyond the reaches of Earth. Like the stars, she was a mere speck on their tiny, dying planet and yet... In that moment, Clementine felt like she was special, like she was important, like she was at the centre of their universe. She felt like... She mattered to somebody again.

"Is this what it feels like to fall for someone?" She asked, as if the moon and the stars and the constellations - lost in that never ending void - could provide some form of answer. Clementine smiled, she smiled wider than she ever had before, hoping that her face could light up the darkness. "It's... Perfect."


End file.
